1# Oral presentation 2 3**Topic:** Importance of media independence and transparency for democracy 4 5## Context 6 7- <https://theconversation.com/why-the-raids-on-australian-media-present-a-clear-threat-to-democracy-118334> 8- <https://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-federal-police-raid-abc-headquarters-at-sydney-s-ultimo-20190605-p51uof.html> 9- <https://washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/06/10/australia-is-war-with-journalists/> 10- <https://www.pm.gov.au/media/doorstop-interview-portsmouth-uk> 11- <https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/afp-statement-search-warrant-sydney> 12 13Journalist Information Warrant - allows access to restrained metadata 14AFP raid on ABC - June 2019 15"alleged publishing of information classified as an official secret" 16 17 18## Articles 19 20Ananian-Welsh. _Why the raids on Australian media present a clear threat to democracy_. <https://theconversation.com/why-the-raids-on-australian-media-present-a-clear-threat-to-democracy-118334> 21Ketchell, Misha. _The devil is in the detail of government bill to enable access to communications data_. <https://theconversation.com/the-devil-is-in-the-detail-of-government-bill-to-enable-access-to-communications-data-96909> 22UNESCO. _World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development_. 2018. <https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000261065> 23Parker, Samuel. _‘Unwanted invaders’: The representation of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and Australian print media_. March 2016. <http://orca.cf.ac.uk/79108/1/ESharp%20Article%20SP.pdf> 24 25 26## Structure 27 28**Introduction** 29Discuss context and recent developments 30 31- ABC raided on 5 June 2019 for "the Afghan files" report 32- Leaked defence documents which revealed corruption, incl. killing of unarmed men and children (murder) - ethical appeal 33- Lyons (ABC exec. editor): "we waive no rights, and reserve the right to take injunction against the warrant" 34- Secrecy offences punishable by seven years imprisonment 35- AFP also searched Annikea Smethurt's house (not connected) - personal surveillance report 36- Morrisson "not troubled" by raids, but said "I believe in freedom of the press"???kek 37- Importance & risk of public interest journalism 38 39**1. Importance of source confidentiality/protection** 40 41 - Ethical foundation of journalists 42 - Enables individuals to share controversial/sensitive information with journalists without fear of persecution 43 - International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights - <https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/gc34.pdf> 44 - Right of access to information: "right of access to informmation held by public bodies ... [including] records held by a public body, regardless of the form" 45 - "The right of access to information includes a right whereby the media has access to information on public affairs" 46 - "Every individual should have the right to ascertain in an intelligible form ... what personal data is stored in automatic data files, and for what purposes" 47 - Limited aid of encrypted messaging and internal protocols 48 49**2. Impact on democracy** 50 51 - AU has more national security laws than any other nation 52 - AU is the only liberal democracy without Charter of Human Rights to protect media freedom 53 - Democracy means everyone has the right to contribute to the choosing of their government. If the government is not portraying themselves honestly, how can we make an accurate decision? 54 - Analogy to control of media in Ukraine (no English media allowed), other communist states 55 56**3. Risk of bias** 57 58 - Control of media could lead to more drastic censorship 59 - Society has a right to know the truth about the leadership of their country 60 - With censorship, journalists cannot do their job - their abilities are being stifled 61 - Media could slowly become taken over by the government, leading to further corruption ("slippery slope") 62 - Surveillance 63 64 65 66**Conclusion** 67 68- Kevin Rudd calls for royal commission for media power abuse and unethical journalism (e.g. Murdoch) 69- Decline of public interest journalism 70- Sources are less likely to take risks to reveal corruption and misconduct 71- Media Freedom Act - recognise and protect freedom of jouranlists